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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27909109">The Dark Aether</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NitrogrnWaters/pseuds/NitrogrnWaters'>NitrogrnWaters</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alternative Universe - Zombies, Call of Duty (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst and Feels, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Game: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, I am happy to read your comments, I will try to update often, Light Angst, M/M, Military Background, Military Backstory, Military Ranks, Military Science Fiction, Other, Science Fiction, Sometimes Richtofen gets kinky, THE COLD WAR, mentions of child abuse, mentions of depression</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:42:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,781</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27909109</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NitrogrnWaters/pseuds/NitrogrnWaters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dark Aether…</p><p> that all you really have to hear to know what it is… </p><p>So many souls lost within. It consumes all it can touch…</p><p>Ultimis. Primis. Victis. </p><p>All hope fading away…</p><p>Some of them thought the corruption was gone. They were wrong…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abigail "Misty" Briarton/Marlton Johnson, Original Female Character(s)/Original Non-Human Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The strings that tie us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The children are safe now... Free from the darkness that lurks behind them...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's been… So long sense I have seen day light…So long…</p>
<p>I can feel the others presents somewhere away from me… Their emotions too…</p>
<p>They still feel betrayed by Nikolai. He did what I could not. I don't blame them.</p>
<p>I too wanted to keep going. To keep living. To be remembered…</p>
<p>"I tried so hard… To secure a better tomorrow…" I whispered to myself. No one was to hear it. Although I am miles away from my group, we can speak telepathically. </p>
<p>"Hello? Is someone there?" I hear a grown man call out to me. He heard me…</p>
<p>"Shamuel?" I choke out quietly. Did I find them? The Victis crew?</p>
<p>"Richtofen? Is that you? Holy hell, were are you?" He asks me with relief in his voice. If I had a body, I would be frowning from this.</p>
<p>I take in my surroundings and find The man sitting within the roots of a massive tree. Other trees seemed the same but this one felt special. It seems big enough to provide shelter for many. I hear other voices deeper in the tree. Out came the other group members. Misty, Russman and Marlton. There was another man though…</p>
<p>His clothes looked of Ultimis Nikolai's, but perhaps slightly more advanced and he looked to be in his mid thirty's. He looked around to see were my voice came from. They too, heard me.

</p>
<p>

"Hey man, stop playing tricks. Were are you?" Samuel keeps asking. I sigh and muster up the energy to seem physical to the eye. I take a look at my newly conjured body before revealing myself to them.

</p>
<p>

They spotted me and froze from the horrible sight. I have a light blue glow emitting from me and my body looked of when I died. I had blood oozing from my mouth and neck. It dripped down to my vest and shirt, staining them. Samuel took a step towards me.

</p>
<p>

"You… You are…" He trails off. 

</p>
<p>

"Ich bin dead, Sammy. Nothzing but a ghost zhat lurks within zhis hell, forever." I state plainly. I feel sadness as I said those words. I am though, happy that I found them finally. He walks up to me and reaches out to touch my vest. He wants to see if I'm real. His hand goes through me and he quickly pulls back. I felt nothing but his emotions. He is relieved that I'm here, but scared too.
</p>
<p>
"Sorry I-" I cut him off by hugging him tightly. I used more of my energy to do this. Although it was my other, older self that was associated with him, we share some memory's from each other's lives and even feelings for others. He... Somehow thinks very highly of Samuel. He enjoys his company a lot, of course, I would too if I was trapped in the MPD with no one to talk to... Other then the Apothicons... 
</p>
<p>
"Shit, doc... What the hell happened? We got the Agarthan device! Everything went black, and..." He trailed off as I let go of him and stare at him with sad eyes. I never wanted this to happen to them. They did their part required to obtain the Kronorium, their blood, the device and what did they get in return? To be damned in this forsaken hell. And it's my fault. My fault for even knowing about one one five. My fault that my friends can't live a normal life. My fault. All of it. 
</p>
<p>
I'm feeling more and more tired as I use my energy to to be physically seen but I still have more to tell Samuel. I need to find a way out, for them. I've heard talk from other survivors that have also been trapped here. They talk of a man that has seen the other side of the Dark Aether, and even traveled through the weak spots. The experiments never lasted long though. They talk of the same man trying to build some means of communication to the other side too. I look back to the Soviet man by the others. Maybe... It's him? It's a wild guess but at this point but I have no knowledge of anything about how to get to reality, let alone find the 'weak spots' so it's better off like that. I sigh and look back to the man in front of me. Samuel's hair had turn some what white from age from the last time I had seen him and his glasses were cracked and filthy. his whole body was filthy. I don't blame them for not keeping good hygiene. the surrounding area was nothing but massive trees of an unknown species. If there was water near by, to be around, it would probably to be contaminated with what ever creatures that have touched it. Nothing here seems to be friendly, not even the little birds.
</p>
<p>
"I must tell jou Shamuel, I did not vant zhis to happen to jou. Nor to anyvone else. But it vas not my decision to do this, I was only trying to secure a better tomorrow..." I whisper to him. I can feel my body disappearing so I make my last word to them quick.
</p>
<p>
"I can not hold on much longer, Sammy. But I vill come back vhen I have enough strength again. Until zhen, try not to get jourself killed? I zhink jour Edvard vould like to see you." I smile slightly at the thought and turn around. I let my body fade away from sight as I walk away from the group that just stood there, dumbfounded.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Step One: Secure the keys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Richtofen is going to find his friends but finds something along his journey to them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>These chapters are meant to be short. It's just important moments that happens to the characters unless it's a big event.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Not yet, not now..."</p><p>
I keep telling myself as I travel quickly through the fauna and shrubs that are scattered everywhere. I've been tracking down the others for some time now. A whole day I think. It's hard to tell sense there is no daylight in the Dark Aether. I feel exhausted from the ground I have covered sense my conversation with Samuel, I do hope he and the others are alright. I can hear something up ahead but it won't matter, no form of life here can hurt me, other then the Apothicons.
</p><p>
I stop in my tracks.
</p><p>
There is a little child in front of me who looked to be five years, and she was crying over a dead body. I stare in horror.
</p><p>
"You promised mommy. You did..." She weeps. I must quite her down or the damned will hear her, and many other unwanted things.
</p><p>
"Little von..." I whisper to her. She looks up to me and her eyes widen, tears falling down her rosy red cheeks. We have a staring contest until she brakes it.
</p><p>
"Daddy?' She asks me. I almost cough on invisible saliva at the fact she called me that. Did I look like her father to her? What happened to him? I then realize that she can see me without a physical form. I go up to her and bend down to her level. I can see her deceased mother at my feet. She seemed to have blood oozing from bites and scratches on her body, with one hand placed on her neck and one holding her daughter's. I MUST get the little girl away from the woman before she becomes one of the damned. I don't want the girl to be attacked by her own mother. It would surely scar her for a long time...
</p><p>
"She promised daddy! She promised! She told me she would get up!" The girl started to weep again. I sigh and gently put my hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to look up. She griefs for her parents and is scared. The moment I touched her though, my tiredness seemed to have disappeared. As if new energy was given to me. When she moved her head up to me, I looked her in the eyes and patted her softly.
</p><p>
"It's time to go little von. Jour mother did vhat she could to keep jou safe, ja?" She nods and sniffles a little. "Zhen It's jour turn to give to her. She vould like to be alone now... She vill shtill be vith jou, no matter how lonely jou may feel." I tell her. She nods a few times and gets up from her mother's side. I hadn't notice but the poor woman's intestines were almost hanging out of her, slowly oozing a large amount of blood. The girl seemed to have gotten some of it on her, which isn't good. the dead are attracted by the sent of blood. Actually, just humans in general. I, with ease, pick up the girl bridle style and start to flout off with her. I get a strange feeling as I look down to her. she had nudged her head into my chest and sniffled some more. The little girl must of gone through so much. Too much for her fragile mind to handle. I start to feel great sympathy and petty for her, as she is just only a child who is trapped in this nightmare.... 
</p><p>
Just like me.... 
</p><p>
But she doesn't deserve it as much as I do...
</p><p>
I start to take in her features well I keep tracking down the others. I can feel their energy getting stronger within every tree and bush I pass and I'm lucky too. They all seem to be in one area. They must of talked not that long ago, sense we all agreed to meet up once in awhile. After that, we just wander around until we come back to "The spot" that we had chosen when we first got here. Anyways. The child had long dark brown hair and rosy cheeks. They look nice with her white skin and electric blue eyes. To be honest, they remind me of Dempsey, that idiotic and childish man. I miss them, a lot. The girls clothing was clean (Other then the blood) and was wearing black jeans with a grey hoodie, at least, thats what I've heard the survivors farther into the future call them. She must be from somewhere within their time.
</p><p>
"Mommy told me you would come." The girl whispers to me. I stop moving and wait for her to continue. "She said an angle would come for me when she goes. The angle would be hurt. Not from fighting, but from love. They loved to much and didn't want to hurt anything. Not even the grass and clouds." I stare at the child with shock. 
</p><p>
"I... I don't know vhat to say..." I tell her honestly. I'm utterly lost for words. Such wisdom from a little girl... Was her mother religious? Was that what had driven to live? To keep going and hoping she could get her child out of here? I was about to ask the girl something about it but she had passed out in my arms. I sigh, watching her sleep. She looks so peaceful. Like she was a soft cloud, she seemed as light as one anyways. 
</p><p>
I...
</p><p>
I miss the clouds...
</p><p>
The smell of fresh grass...
</p><p>
The sound of rushing water and birds...
</p><p>
Trees swaying back and forth as the wind whistles between the branches...
</p><p>
I miss it all. Oh how I took it for granted...
</p><p>
"Richtofen?" Someone calls out to me, snapping me out of my trance. I turn around and find myself face to face with them...
</p><p>
"It's been avhile, hasn't it? I question Dempsey. MY Dempsey. A stupid grin plastered his face as he noticed the little one in my arms and walks over to me, along with the others. I should mention spirts or what ever we are, can see each others physical body's. They look the same as me. Blood oozing from our mouths and necks. EDWARD though, has blood running from his head, as he had been shot by Nikolai.
</p><p>
"Wow doc. Gotten bussy?" He joked to me. I did not like that one, but I couldn't help but laugh at it.
</p><p>
"Oh, Thomas. I've missed your idiocy, been no fun correcting mein self." I joked back. I begin to feel happiness rise in me. That is, until my Ultimis version ruined the moment.
</p><p>
"Now, who iz zhe child? Did jou just, snatch her up?" He questions me, unimpressed. I did not miss his attitude at all. I remember how I found the girl weeping by her mother's side, heart broken because she didn't keep their promise...
</p><p>
I shiver at the memory and sigh, getting ready to tell them.
</p><p>
"I... Found her veeping over her mother'z dead body. I couldn't leave her zhere, so I Brough her along vith me." I answered him. His lips tighten when I tell him this. 
</p><p>
"How are JOU going to care for her? Jou aren't exactly... How do I put zhis? Vather material." He looked me up and down when telling me that. He has a point sense I am a ghost but That doesn't mean I'm not useless. I purse my lips and was about to argue with him but his Dempsey kicked in and interrupted.
</p><p>
"I'm SURE he's going to be a better father figure to the girl then YOU would ever be." He defends me. I give a thank you glance to him. I hear someone sigh loudly and look over to who it was. It was Primis Nikolai. He walks over to me to get a better look of the child.
</p><p>
"I'm sure we could all help Edward out. If I found child, I would do same thing." He comments. I feel unease coming from the others as he spoke. They STILL haven't fully forgave him. Nikolai didn't have blood running from his mouth and neck like me and the others. He has a bullet shot in the middle of his forehead and the blood ran between his brows and eyes. All of us emit a blue glow too.

</p><p>

"Are you an Archangel?" A small voice asks from below me. We all look down to the child and stare in confusion. She had woken up.

</p><p>

"Was?" Richtofen asks her.

</p><p>

"Bist du eine Erzengel?" She asks again in German. Both of us gap at her, not thinking she knew German. I then see a small smile creep up on his face.

</p><p>

"Vielleicht bin ich!" He tells her. She smiled back at his response. She then pointed at his commanders cap that held a metal of a eagle.

</p><p>

"The eagle is the guardian of the sky. It is the king of angles!" She exclaims to him. By the looks on his face, he took it as a compliment.

</p><p>

"Vhat iz jour name little von?" He ask her calmly. 

</p><p>

"Vania" She replies.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. More then you can imagine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The others have agreed to keeping the girl safe and following Richtofen back to Victis, but stumble upon the oddest thing...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! Hey! Onion man! I just want to let you know your comments make me happy! 🧅 </p><p>Okey? Okay! 🧅 🧅 🧅 </p><p>Oh, just to let everyone know, if I'm writing about Primis I'll make them nicknames names. Probably nicknames for Ultimis too if it sounds good.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where exactly are they again?" Tank asks for the fifth time along the journey to the Victis crew. I hear the others sigh in frustration as Dempsey stifles a laugh. Both men have the attention span of a child. Maybe even less because even Vania can notice things more often then them. Speaking of Vania, she seems to be coping over her mother's death far better then me and Richtofen expected, she and him also have been taking a interest in each other. As weird as it is, nobody is really bothered by it, even both Dempseys are fine with it. I think it's because the nicknames she has given us all in a short time. They find them funny and cute.
</p><p>
I'm still daddy.
</p><p>
Tank is Panzer. Ironic.
</p><p>
Tak is Mann der Weisheit. Weise for short. (Man of wisdom or wise for short in German)
</p><p>
Nik is Mr. Groß. (Mr. Big in German)
</p><p>
Dempsey is Wölfin. (Wolf in German)
</p><p>
Takeo (Or the monkey bomb) is Affe (Monkey in German)
</p><p>
Nikolai is Drachen. (Dragon for German)
</p><p>
And finally. Richtofen is...
</p><p>
"Rosette!" Vania calls out to the older man. He turns his head to look down to her. She had run up to his side and was going showing him something grey that was shiny and something that was big, long and black. It took me and him a moment before we had realized what they were. They appeared to look like a giant black feather and a steel grey scale. One from a bird. One from a dragon...
</p><p>
"Vere did jou get zhis, Vania? He asks her politely and quietly. I watch them closely. It's almost nerve racking to see him trying to be kind to her. Never thought he still had the ability to be kind and polite in the first place, even to a child. Years and years of locking every emotion away can do... Well, a lot of shit. Humans and even animals are not capable of such things, we are a very social species and it is important that we interact with one another daily. We may be dead but we still have a humanoid soul and being trapped in the Dark Aether has forced us to still feel the dreadful emotions that we felt when we were alive. 
</p><p>
"From over there!" She points out to the left and grabs his hand to show him. He looked like he wanted to protest but went along with her anyways. The others were listening and observing well she showed him the fascinating objects. We all followed them to the direction she was leading him. It was not far away when we stumble across a clearing with multiple scales and feathers scattered around. in the middle of the clearing was a very, very, VERY large lump that appeared to be lively as it took slow and large breaths in and out. I see at the corner of my eye the others get in front of Vania as it stirred. I can hear Richtofen speaking franticly but softly in German to Vania to not up set her and alert the thing to our presents. I stared at it with content, hoping it won't awaken. How wrong I was. Me and the others stare in horror as a eye opened up. It was as least as big as a grown mans head. The colours that made up the iris though were magnificent! 
</p><p>
They consisted a blend of Yellow, Orange and a small amount of red. The pupil was thin like that of a cats' and a dark orange surrounded it. It slowly became lighter as the yellow blended with it and streaks of red were here and there if you could spot them. I was mostly orange if you wanted a basic description if it.
</p><p>
"Is there something you need, Edward?" The creature ask me softly. It's voice was deep but and loud with a Russian accent. I was completely baffled at this. I could talk and knew my name. The silence became uncomfortably heavy and deadly as no one moved and stood their ground. A loud sigh came from it and it started to move.
</p><p>
"Why you make me move... I was having great nap..."It muttered as it yawned. The creature's out lines of its limps become more visible and shakes its head. The creature was a dragon... 
</p><p>
A big, steel, bulky dragon...
</p><p>
I have seen all different types of dragons along the journeys that me and my friends had to make, but not such a beast like that. It resembles the dragon heads we had to feed back in Griffon castle but much, much larger and somehow, more lively. In between its thick scales and armour is what looked to be lava, pacifically lava, and didn't ooze out, like an invisible force was holding it in. It arched its long neck then moved closer to observe us better. It snorted and a thick amount of smoke came from it's nostrils.
</p><p>
"Not Treyarch's... It does not matter though, you are still the same..." The dragon comments to its self as if we could not understand it. It then blinks and laughs out loud like someone just told a funny joke. At this point all of us are confused by it's strange behaviour. I felt someone grab my hand during this and looked down. It was Vania. she had a toothy grin on her small face and wanted to go over to the magnificent beast. I held her close as the dragon continued to speak. "I never though YOU two would adore such small child! A rare sight indeed!" It chuckled. Had it noticed her with my Ultimis counterpart? And then come to me?
</p><p>
"I should introduce myself... Well... You may already know me." It points out to both Nikolai's with it's mighty tail that is rapped around it's body. It comes to me that this is a different Nikolai...
</p><p>
"I am Nikolai Belinsky. Keeper of fire and strength." He states proudly. "But you can call me..." He pauses to think. 
</p><p>
"Ogon" 
</p><p>
everyone stays quiet. Dare one of us makes a move, it will kill us...
</p><p>
 Again...
</p><p>
"Drachen!" Vania squealed, braking the deadly silence. She had started to run up to the Dragon who clams to be another Nikolai. I tried to stop her but she had slipped through my grasp and made her way to the out stretched head of the beast. This is when everyone had snapped out of there daze and ran to Vania, a look of worry for the girl on their faces, as well as mine. She had started to pat him on his muzzle sense his head alone was ginormous. I grabbed a hold of her shoulder. At that moment, I knew shew would be fine but...
</p><p>
That Nikolai...
</p><p>
He is something else...
</p><p>
A dragon of course but
something much more...
</p><p>
Powerful. I think.
</p><p>
"I think you must go now. They are worried about you." Ogon huffs quietly to us. I wonder confusedly who he means. We had all gathered around his head were Vania kept petting him and watched her intently. We still don't trust him. I then look him, Ogon, in the eyes and and stood my ground. I stared at him with confidence and decided to ask the question that has been pondering my mind ever sense he told us who he was.
</p><p>
"How... How did jou get here?" I weakly ask the Russian dragon. He just snorted and then gentle pulled away for Vania, who pouted in protest. 
</p><p>
"I stumbled across this place one day, practising my abilities. My Voron had to come get me out, but later, she and I decided to explore here one day..." He trails off. A concerned look fell upon his face but it quickly passed. At that moment, a ring of fire formed around all of us but Ogon. He then lifted his wings up and flared once, sending dust and loose fauna everywhere. He then snorts thick smoke and his mouth became agape.
</p><p>
"If you want to make a right in your life, then I suggest you fined the others. The keys to getting out of this hell hole. I do hope you can help finish that was started so long ago..."
</p><p>
The flames quickly engulf us and I feel Vania hug me tightly. Soon every thing when dark. Darker then normal...
</p><p>
Then there was a light...
</p><p>
A bright one...
</p><p>
It then disappeared and I see my surrounding slowly come back. 
</p><p>
We were in the forest where I left Samuel...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope this is good enough for ya lot. I personally think it is kinda bad.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The nightmare that never ends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's alive. IT'S ALIVE!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Dark Aether has it's own conciseness.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Idk, this kinda a weird chapter in my opinion.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I stood my ground.</p><p>Too horrified to move.</p><p>As I watch all my beloved friends bleed to death one the ground. </p><p>I am getting somewhat familiar with this problem.  Ever sense me and the others death, the Dark Aether keeps bring one of us to a pocket dimension and showing us our greatest fears. None of us have told each other what they are though.</p><p>
There I stood.
</p><p>
 Not ME, but it IS me. His back was turned and was staring out into the black void. I took one step to him...
</p><p>
What a great mistake.
</p><p>
"Ahhh. Doctor, jou finally made it!" He exclaims. I inhale sharply. He turns around and looks me dead in the eyes. It's like looking into a mirror when I finally see him clearly, but much, much, much bloodier. he was impersonating as me. He had murdered all of my friends...
</p><p>
"Ve have been vaiting for jou." He waves his arms to motion to his fallen companions, then approaches me slowly.
</p><p>
"I care none for jour mockery no more. I have been zhrough zhis more zhen anyvone else. Ever." I state to him. Or it. I don't think the Dark Aether has a gender, but I do know it likes to personify into the male gender more often then the female gender. The creepiest thing about this "Nightmare" is that IT IS the Dark Aether torturing me personally. 
</p><p>
This IS the Dark Aether.
</p><p>
"So jou figured it out, ja?" He taunts. Damn it. I forgot he can read my thought well I'm within this place. He chuckles at my stupid realization. I am... I mean as HIM, is only a few feet away from me now. I am powerless against him. I am powerless here. I am...
</p><p>
I... 
</p><p>
"Jou are nozhing here, herr doctor. Nozhing but a pawn to zhe others zhat vrule over jou." He grins maliciously at me. " Like me!" He points out way too cheerfully. Uh, I can't stand the sound of my own voice making such sounds. I started to feel a tingling in my body and worry about it until I suddenly fall to the ground and panic, but I can't move, I've become paralyzed. The other me just laughs like a mad man. Worse then Ultimis. 
</p><p>
"Vhy don't jou lay down und relax Edverd? Und think about all zhe zhings jou ever vanted." I know where he is going with this...
</p><p>
I can't...
 </p><p>
I can't go on like this no more.
</p><p>
"Like a house und an family zhat loves jou dearly..." he had straddled me and held me up to his face by grabbing the collar of my shirt. My arms dangle from my sides.
</p><p>
 I try to close my eyes but it is no use.
</p><p>
 "To become a professor und teach Pathology..."
</p><p>
 I wanted to scream.
</p><p>
 I wanted to cry.
</p><p>
But even if I could, no one would hear me. Just him.
</p><p>"Do vhat jou vant Edverd, No one will come for jou. No one vill hear jou scream in pain. Jou, are alone... VITH ME!"  The only expression I can show on my face is fear for what he is to do to me now...</p><p>
"But maybe jou CAN have it all" He drops me from his grasp but does not get off. I look at him with confusion. He then leans real close to me and and pauses for a moment. a moment too long for my comfort...
</p><p>
"Dieses Mädchen..." My answer is already no. He sighs in frustration and stares me dead in my eyes. I must say, I have the most beautiful blue eyes. I now understand why others greatly tremble under my Ultimis selfs glare. Such deadly, cold, blue eyes. I am even terrified of myself.
</p><p>
"I vont to shee if jou vreally can take care of her." I become even more confused.
</p><p>
"I have ein proposal for jou un jour so called 'friends'." If I could talk, I would of gave him the longest rant of my life that even my Ultimis self would tell me to shut up. "If jou can avoid mein creatures of zhe damned, und vraise her for a HOLE YEAR!-" I have a keen interest of this "deal" now. I do hope what he offers is...
</p><p>
Well...
</p><p>
A second chance? Or even a little bit of time to have a body. I long for the feeling to be a physical being again.
</p><p>
"-I vill consider letting jou, her, und jour friends out of my grasp. Out of 'here" Meaning the entire D.A it's self. He got off of me completely and waited for me to make the call. I was allowed to move now and the first thing I did was get to my knees and and try to calm myself. You must know how this feels to me. To get out of this hell hole with the ones I care about and flee it entirely...
</p><p>
We could live normal lives. 

Wouldn't have to worry about the zombies and the forsaken damned, to meet real, living people, and start a new life...
</p><p>
With them...
</p><p>
Meine freunde...
</p><p>
"Okay..." I say quietly well looking down at the ground. "I accept the challenge." Inside,  my heart and mind are racing, trying to process what really just happened.
</p><p>
"Gut" Is all I hear from him before everything becomes completely black...
</p><p>
I just made a deal with the Dark Aether...
</p><p>
What a fool you are, Edward Richtofen. What a fool you are.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I updated! YAY!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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